Monument record FML 021 - The Mere

`The Mere', W of Framlingham Castle (FML 001). Probably deliberately created as joint quarry for material for castle earthwork defences and as fishpond and added security on western side of castle, in C12? (S1). Original extent of natural and artificial meres unknown.

Silt removal phases 1 & 11 monitored 1998/1999. Minimal damage to known archaeology, five timbers were retrieved from the silt, and lines of in situ posts/stumps were recorded (partially recorded previously by RCHME), as was a relatively large fragment of pierced wooden board. Core samples contradicted the traditional interpretation that the mere was a manually excavated medieval feature, indicating that it was natural feature dating to the Bronze Age or earlier. The medieval earthworks were the result of management of an existing natural resource (S2).
For similar artificial mere, see EYE 029.

January-February 2002: Geophysical, cartographic and earthworks survey (mainly of castle - FML 001) by English Heritage (S3).

2007: Three living oak trees at the Mere west of Framlingham Castle (FML 021) were cored in an attempt to estimate their ages. Although superficially similar in size, the three trees varied in estimated age from approximately 174 to 321 years old, showing the influence of competition between trees affecting overall growth rates. One tree may be sufficiently old that it could be considered to have been planted in the late 17th century or early 18th century as suggested in documentary evidence. (S4)

Archaeological monitoring of the Phase I silt removal programme was completed in July 1998, and Phase II in July 1999. A record was made of any damage to known archaeological features and the excavation work was monitored with a view to recording any hitherto unidentified archaeology that may be exposed.
The damage caused to the known archaeology was found to be minimal and, as a consequence, was easily rectifiable. Additional archaeological recording was limited to five timbers recovered from the silt, a relatively large fragment of pierced wooden board and lines of in situ posts/stumps, the latter already partially recorded during an earlier survey carried out by the Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments.
In addition, core samples taken from the mere silts proved that in contradiction to the traditional interpretation that regards the mere as a manually excavated feature of medieval date, that it actually represents a natural feature dating from at least as far back as the Bronze Age, and almost certainly considerably earlier. The medieval earthworks were effectively the result of management of an existing natural resource. Included in the Proceedings of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History annual round up of individual finds and discoveries for 1999 (S5).